Winter Diving

[ellisj501]

Hi All,

First off, merry Christmas and despite the madness happy new year.....

It's been a short while since I last managed to get in the water, pretty much since the last lock down in England kicked in, I have worked my ass off though, done loads of cover for call out for work and i'm saving as much as I can ready for 2021 diving which, isn't far away.

I am preparing for diving during the months of January, February, March and April. The first three months are going to be the coldest in the UK.

I am calling on those divers that go all year round.

I have a wetsuit hood and wetsuit gloves, I have double checked my regs are suitable for cold water diving.

Has anyone got any other advise on how to best prepare. I have my thermal under-suit and some thick thermal socks

I have another question, how cold does water get on inland dive sites, over these colder months, does the temperature ever drop below freezing.

I apologies if these questions sound daft, but I can't wait for 2021 to kick in and I want to be as best prepared as possible for my next dive.

Thanks and Merry Christmas.

John

 

[Degenerate]

Here in Sweden our deeper quarries are around 4 degrees at depth year around.
I have seen 2-3 degrees on shallower quarries/lakes during winter.
I would not do those dives in a wetsuit at all, but we're all different when it comes to cold tolerance.

 

[ellisj501]

Here in Sweden our deeper quarries are around 4 degrees at depth year around.
I have seen 2-3 degrees on shallower quarries/lakes during winter.
I would not do those dives in a wetsuit at all, but we're all different when it comes to cold tolerance.

ha ha no im not that brave, I have a dry suit, to be fair I dive in my dry suit through the summer months never mind the winter months, I would save my wetsuit for warmer climates

 

[Alekseolsen]

Year-round diver from Norway here.

Dry gloves help, a car that can be quickly heated after the dive helps, getting out of the suit quickly helps.

For the dive itself I dont have to much to chime in with, some "extra" air in the suit helps a lot, and do make sure you get your face dipped in the cold water without mask before decending.
Enjoy the dives!

 

[TMHeimer]

I dive wet all winter here in Nova Scotia. The key is you have to have a method. The ocean may be as high as +15C as late as Dec. (but air temps. near 0C), but as low as near freezing by March, and only maybe +5-7 by May when the weather warms up (16-18). I haven't dived lakes in winter but here they are usually ice covered at some point.
I do one dive in a day, usually about 20 minutes. Have to have a procedure that limits your time exposed to the cold air before (especially) and after the dive. I don my wetsuit at home and drive maybe 1/4 mile to the site, using plastic on the driver's seat for the wet trip back. Everyone's situation is different, so you have to develop your own method that fits. Good luck.
Oh, I never bought a drysuit because for years we did 3 winter months in Florida (in case you're wondering why I'm crazy).
And like JimBlay says in the next post, you may need some sort of warm shelter for before & after the dive(s). It's the air/wind that is the concern. Within a reasonable time limit, you can dive in water that's almost freezing in a wetsuit if you can get warm immediately upon exit (and start off being reasonably warm). I have dived in as cold as 33F ocean water (+less than 1C).

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I used to dive year round in the Midwest. A drysuit and shelter between dives was the key. Get out of the cold/wind and into someplace warm(ish). At times we even put up a tent with propane powered heater.

I now live in South FL and dive year round here. A long wind proof boat coat is about all I need to add to my normal diving process.

 

[formernuke]

Warm water in the hood and gloves. I recommend drygloves soon.

We are in F here my coolest dive was 31 degree F with air temp in the teens F.

 

[rduquesnoy]

A year round diver in the Netherlands. I have done ice diving in 3 degrees water (currently the temperature is about 7).

For me it's important to stay warm as long as possible before the dive. Wearing my BZ400 undersuit, gloves and a beanie really help.

Dry gloves are also a great plus. Next step would be heating but as long as I can manage 60 minutes in 6 to 7 degrees that's enough for me.

 

[DogDiver]

Year round diver here. I can dive over 30 sites within a 45 minute drive. Oh cave diver here in North Florida. Lol

 

[KentB]

Dry gloves, halo , heated vest
And a Few Extra pounds to allow some extra air